LinkedIn Top Startups 2019: The 25 hottest UK companies to work for now

The 2019 LinkedIn Top Startups list reveals the 25 hottest companies where UK professionals want to work now.

With the 3rd annual Top Startups ranking, we uncover the young companies commanding professionals’ attention today: the ones that are growing massively, scrambling industries, shifting talent flows around the world and, often, altering how we work and live.

Our editors and data scientists parsed billions of actions generated by LinkedIn’s 645 million members – and looked at four pillars in particular: employee growth; jobseeker interest; member engagement with the company and its employees; and how well these startups pulled talent from our flagship LinkedIn Top Companies list. To be eligible, companies must be 7 years old or younger, have at least 50 employees, be privately held and headquartered in the UK. (You can learn more about our methodology at the bottom of this article.)

Looking to land a job at one of these fast-growing companies? You can stay up to date on new postings by turning on job alerts for a curated list of these startups: Click here, add your desired job title or function, location and any other details, then toggle the job alert to "on". You’ll get a notification when any new job goes live so you can be the first to jump at the opportunity. 

Check out this year’s 25 Top Startups in the UK – and join the conversation using #LinkedInTopStartups.

You can also check out the Top Startups in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the US.

Headcount in the UK: 957 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: finance, banking, software development | Most common job functions: support, engineering, operations | What you should know: The digital bank has been on a massive hiring spree as it pushes into the US market, adding about 800 new employees globally over the past year. To get an edge when applying for a role, read Monzo’s tone-of-voice blog, show that you put customers first and be prepared to meet the office dogs.

See jobs at Monzo | See people you may know at Monzo | In the news: Quids in for Monzo

Headcount in the UK: 500 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: SQL, data analysis, Python | Most common job functions: engineering, business development, human resources | What you should know: Revolut is transitioning from a payments company into a bank, and it also launched a US stock-trading platform for European customers in August. The fintech firm says it has over six million customers across Europe, adding 18,000 new accounts per day.

See jobs at Revolut | See people you may know at Revolut | In the news: A Revolut-ion in stock trading

Headcount in the UK: 320 | Headquarters: Solihull | Most common skills: digital marketing, Adobe Photoshop, social media marketing | Most common job functions: business development, marketing, support | What you should know: The activewear brand has recently upped investment in employee benefits, according to Retail Times, using Perkbox and offering a financial education series for its “mainly millennial” staff.

See jobs at Gymshark | See people you may know at Gymshark 

Headcount in the UK: 563  | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: banking, finance, SQL | Most common job functions: engineering, support, finance | What you should know: The challenger bank plans to nearly double its staff in the coming year after raising over ￡75m in a recent funding round. They’re hiring across a variety of roles, but particularly in engineering and customer service, Starling Bank tells LinkedIn.

Read more: Here are some of the employee perks at Starling Bank. | See jobs at Starling Bank | See people you may know at Starling Bank

Headcount in the UK: 1,100  | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: software development, Java, healthcare | Most common job functions: engineering, healthcare services, product management | What you should know: The digital healthcare service, recently valued at $2bn (￡1.6bn), has developed a chatbot to check patient symptoms and allow users to connect to doctors through video calls. It has built a workforce from over 60 different countries. 

Read more: Babylon Health's top interview question. | See jobs at Babylon Health | See people you may know at Babylon Health 

Headcount in the UK: 150* | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: sports, digital marketing, social media marketing | Most common job functions: operations, marketing, business development | What you should know: Formula E isn’t just a mega-popular car racing company: it's on a mission to boost electric vehicle use and tackle air pollution on a global scale. To work there, you'll need to be innovative, curious and value sustainability.

See more about Formula E Holdings | See people you may know at Formula E Holdings

Headcount in the UK: 102 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: banking, user experience, agile methodologies | Most common job functions: engineering, arts and design, product management | What you should know: The challenger consultancy is looking for candidates with passion, authenticity and "restlessness", the firm tells LinkedIn. Employees at the startup are allowed to choose how and where to work, as well as which tools they need to get the job done.

Read more: How to stand out in an interview at 11:FS. | See jobs at 11:FS | See people you may know at 11:FS

Headcount in the UK: 88 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: influencer marketing, digital marketing, social media marketing | Most common job functions: marketing, business development, sales | What you should know: The Goat Agency receives over 500 applications a week, the influencer marketing firm tells LinkedIn. To stand out, demonstrate a proven passion for social media and a genuine ambition to learn. (Also, the team vlogs every day, so prepare to be on camera!)

Read more: The best interview questions to prepare. | See jobs at The Goat Agency | See people you may know at The Goat Agency

Headcount in the UK: 195  | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: banking, SQL, software development | Most common job functions: engineering, business development, information technology | What you should know: Tide sets itself apart from other challenger banks through its focus: it provides current accounts to businesses only. Tide is on the lookout for candidates who embody its values – put members first, work as one team and be data driven.

Read more: The coolest employee perks at Tide. | See jobs at Tide | See people you may know at Tide 

Headcount in the UK: 129 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: SQL, finance, software development | Most common job functions: engineering, information technology, support | What you should know: In addition to paid internships, the payments app offers apprenticeships across the organisation. It also offers a unique perk for staff development: a policy allowing workers to order as many books as they want.

Read more: What Curve wants to know in an interview. | See jobs at Curve | See people you may know at Curve

Headcount in the UK: 195 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: banking, finance, SQL | Most common job functions: engineering, information technology, support | What you should know: The clearing services provider, in partnership with fellow fintech startup Tide, was granted ￡60m from a government-backed fund that aims to boost competition in lending to small businesses. ClearBank is now looking for candidates with software development and specific domain expertise to help it grow.

See more about ClearBank | See people you may know at ClearBank

Headcount in the UK: 94* | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: management consulting, business transformation, stakeholder management | Most common job functions: consulting, education, sales | What you should know: The specialist management consultancy operates an in-house incubator, which allows employees to have a go at being entrepreneurs and launching their own startups. The firm lists its core values as: grit, candour, entrepreneurship, humility, empathy and aspiration.

See jobs at Gate One | See people you may know at Gate One

Headcount in the UK: 103 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: web development, PHP, SQL | Most common job functions: engineering, business development, product management | What you should know: Bud helps banks connect to other fintech companies and financial service providers. To get your foot in the door, you’ll need to interview with around eight employees from across the business who will put both your technical skills and values to test.

Read more: It's not just about the technical interview at Bud. | See jobs at Bud | See people you may know at Bud

Headcount in the UK: 243 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: software development, Python, SQL | Most common job functions: engineering, information technology, human resources | What you should know: The banking platform, undergoing “a period of rapid expansion”, is busy scaling its marketing and sales teams. Want an edge in applying? Stop by one of the company’s open evenings to learn about Thought Machine’s culture. 

Read more: Thought Machine wants to improve your public speaking. | See jobs at Thought Machine | See people you may know at Thought Machine

Headcount in the UK: 60 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: product development, business development, finance** | Most common job functions: technology, product, operations, business development** | What you should know: The startup's platform gives customers access to exclusive interest rates across a range of banks and allows them to apply with a single application. Flagstone tells LinkedIn that applicants who aren’t afraid of making suggestions, and who listen to and incorporate feedback, will "definitely have an edge".

Read more: The interview question Flagstone really cares about. | See jobs at Flagstone | See people you may know at Flagstone 

** Data provided by Flagstone

Headcount in the UK: 244 | Headquarters: Manchester | Most common skills: digital marketing, digital media, social media marketing | Most common job functions: media and communication, sales, marketing | What you should know: This social media and entertainment publisher, which says its brand is followed by half of all UK men aged 18-24, is busy expanding its offices in the UK, Sydney and Dublin. The company tells LinkedIn it doesn't rule out job applicants who haven't been to university. "What we really value is hands-on experience and team players.”

Read more: Some of the coolest perks at LADbible. | See jobs at LADbible Group | See people you may know at LADbible Group

Headcount in the UK: 126  | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: banking, SQL, analytics | Most common job functions: Engineering, finance, information technology | What you should know: The banking app is planning to open 400 new job positions in the next year as it expands in six countries. Expect some unusual questions when interviewing for a job there – you may be asked to describe your ideal weekend.

Read more: A practical perk at Monese. | See jobs at Monese | See people you may know at Monese

Headcount in the UK: 119 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: finance, banking, SQL | Most common job functions: engineering, business development, legal | What you should know: The payments platform recently received a ￡14m investment to grow its teams in London, Edinburgh and Dublin. The firm supports a number of social causes and hires interns from the Social Mobility Foundation, which gives a helping hand to high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds across the UK.

Read more: How to ace an interview at Modulr. | See more about Modulr | See people you may know at Modulr

Headcount in the UK: 250 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: automotive, manufacturing, product development | Most common job functions: Engineering, operations, arts and design | What you should know: The startup, which makes futuristic-looking electric vans, comprises a team of experts in engineering, software, AI and robotics. Expect to speak with the CEO during the recruitment process – he interviews each candidate before they're offered a position.

Read more: Arrival's flat company structure. | See jobs at Arrival | See people you may know at Arrival

Headcount in the UK: 165 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: cloud computing, DevOps, software development | Most common job functions: consulting, information technology, engineering | What you should know: The consultancy has ambitious plans to scale its global business and is looking to add over 300 positions in the coming year. Candidates with a presence in the DevOps community are high in demand, Contino says.

Read more: Contino's cool employee perks. | See jobs at Contino | See people you may know at Contino

Headcount in the UK: 66 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: digital marketing, customer relationship management, lead generation | Most common job functions: business development, support, sales | What you should know: The startup, which helps clients identify potential customers using patented AI technology, has been rapidly expanding, with plans to open New York and Singapore offices this year. It's aiming to triple its headcount in the next 12 months, with its sales and software development departments expected to grow the most.

Read more: Cognism's coolest perk? A trip to Croatia. | See more about Cognism | See people you may know at Cognism

Headcount in the UK: 59  | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: SQL, data analysis, recruiting | Most common job functions: engineering, business development, research | What you should know: The investment app is looking to double its headcount in the next 12 months as it works on a range of new products, including a pensions service. During the recruitment process, candidates are interviewed by people outside the direct hiring team to ensure there's a great cultural fit. After an offer is accepted, all new team members receive a surprise gift in the post.

Read more: Join Moneybox's football club. | See jobs at Moneybox | See people you may know at Moneybox

Headcount in the UK: 80 | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: recruiting, digital marketing, data analysis | Most common job functions: business development, human resources, sales | What you should know: WhiteHat hopes to increase diversity in the top tiers of business by building an alternative route to success – one that doesn't involve a stint at university. It's promoting apprenticeships as a way of empowering young people to build great careers. 

Read more: WhiteHat wants to know: What's your superpower? | See more about WhiteHat | See people you may know at WhiteHat

Headcount in the UK: 55  | Headquarters: London | Most common skills: digital marketing, web development, recruiting | Most common job functions: business development, engineering, sales | What you should know: The market and brand intelligence platform is only a year old, but it already has plans to expand to the US next year. Attest is particularly interested in candidates with a passion for personal growth, so interview questions often focus on the likes of: "What was the most useful/ valuable piece of constructive feedback you’ve ever received about yourself? How did you apply that feedback?"

Read more: Why Attest looks for "culture add" instead of culture fit. | See jobs at Attest | See people you may know at Attest

Headcount in the UK: 365*  | Headquarters: Cambridge (and San Francisco, United States) | Most common skills: cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence | Most common job functions: sales, business development, information technology | What you should know: The cyber-security company uses artificial intelligence to protect its clients from attacks. It’s counted big names including the NHS, Gatwick Airport and Drax among its clients, according to the FT.

See jobs at Darktrace | See people you may know at Darktrace

Share the full list and your thoughts on this year's Top Startups using #LinkedInTopStartups.

Methodology

LinkedIn measures startups based on four pillars: employment growth, engagement, job interest and attraction of top talent. Employment growth is measured as percentage headcount increase over one year, which must be a minimum of 15%. Engagement looks at non-employee views and follows of the company’s LinkedIn page, as well as how many non-employees are viewing employees at that startup. Job interest counts the rate at which people are viewing and applying to jobs at the company, including both paid and unpaid postings. Attraction of top talent measures how many employees the startup has recruited away from LinkedIn Top Companies, as a percentage of the startup’s total workforce. Data is normalized across all eligible startups. The methodology time frame is July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019.

To be eligible, companies must be independent and privately held, have 50 or more employees, be 7 years old or younger and be headquartered in the country on whose list they appear. We exclude all staffing firms, think tanks, nonprofits, accelerators and government-owned entities.

About company insights

*Company insights were sourced from LinkedIn Talent Insights. Data reflects aggregated public member data from active LinkedIn profiles in the relevant country and includes full-time employee profiles associated with the company on LinkedIn. We exclude members who identify as part-time or contractors. Headcounts are provided by the companies directly, unless otherwise noted with an asterisk. Those headcounts are based on LinkedIn data. The insights reflect data as of June 2019.

Reported by: Riva Gold, Emily Spaven and Katie Carroll.